Pir's surviving son hiding for life

Staff Correspondent

Murdered 'Pir'

He has become homeless, jobless running from one place to another for a safe refuge after the killing of his father, brother and four others at their Gopibagh residence in the capital in December last year. A gang had entered the house as guests and murdered Lutfar Rahman Faruque, who claimed himself to be a pir and used to preach a different version of Islam, and his elder son Sarwar Islam Faruque and four disciples but could not find Abdullah Al Faruque, the other son. Abdullah escaped death as he was not at home. He fears he will not be so lucky next time. "Until the killers are caught, I am in danger," Abdullah said by phone.

The criminals had spared the women, including Abdullah's mother Salma, sister Runi and sister-in-law Bithi, who were at home at that time. They told journalists after the December 21 incident that before leaving the house the killers had searched for Abdullah. "We have come here to kill six people and we have done so. But it is Abdullah we have meant to kill," the killers had told the women. Talking to The Daily Star, Abdullah refused to reveal his whereabouts. The surviving members of the family have moved out of the house in Gopibagh. "We just could not live anymore in the house where our father and brother had been killed," Abdullah said. He even left his job as a banker in Bank Asia. Asked why he had quit the job, he said he feared to go out. Abdullah added a cousin of him was supporting his family now. But police did not take any step for his security. "I still have faith that they [police] will be able to catch the killers. But if they fail I may need security." The investigation officer of the case, Inspector Abual Khayer Matabbar of the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police said, "We have some suspects and are communicating with them. A few suspects are on the run. I believe if we can find them, the investigation will gain momentum." In line with the initial hunches about the motive of the murders, Matabbar said he too suspected that the killings were committed over religious differences. "Lutfar was known to be a deviant for his religious practice and preaching of faith. He had made many enemies in the process," he added. Lutfar Rahman Faruque had published three books on his interpretation of Islam.